Cranberry Tea

8 c water
4 bags Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orange tea
4 c cranberry-apple juice
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c orange juice
1/4 c lemon juice

Bring water to boil.  Add tea bags and simmer 5 min.  Remove tea bags and add remaining ingredients.  Simmer until hot.  Yield:  13 - 8 oz servings.

This is wonderful for holiday parties and guests who do not like coffee.

Shepherd's Pie

1 lb hamburger, browned, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup or gravy
3 lg potatoes, cut, boiled, mashed
Velveeta cheese, sliced

Layer hamburger, soup or gravy, potatoes.  Bake at 350 for 20 min.  During last 5 min, put Velveeta cheese on top.

Freezes well.

Kendall's Chili

2 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 lg onion
3 cans red kidney beans, undrained
2 cans tomato soup
1 lg can (32 oz) tomato juice
1 can mushrooms
1 can (14-16 oz) tomatoes
3 heaping T flour
2 T chili powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Brown meat and onion together in large skillet.  Combine beans, soup, juice, mushrooms, tomatoes in large pan and let simmer.  When meat is browned, drain, add flour, and mix thoroughly.  Add meat mixture to other ingredients.  Season with chili powder, salt, pepper.

Freezes well.

I recently tried another chili recipe and afterward vowed I would never again stray from Kendall's chili.

Peach Cobbler

3 c peaches, peeled
3/4 c sugar
2 1/2 T cornstarch
dash salt1 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 c milk
1/4 c soft butter
2 T sugar
1/4 t cinnamon

Lightly mix peaches, sugar, cornstarch, salt in 9x13 pan.  In a medium bowl, beat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, butter until smooth.  Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon.  Bake at 375 for 30-35 min.

Chicken Pie

1/2 recipe of Never Fail Pie Crust
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
2 c frozen mixed vegetables
1 can mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup

Mix chicken, vegetables, mushrooms, and soup together. Roll out bottom crust and line pie pan.  Pour chicken filling into crust, moisten edge to be sealed.  Place top crust on pie, seal edge and place foil around outer edge.  Bake at 350 for 45 min, or until golden brown.

Freezes well.

Creamette Ragu

2 c uncooked macaroni
3/4 c chopped onion
1 lb ground beef
1 T oil
1 15 oz jar Ragu
1/4 c water
1 t salt
2 T butter
3 T flour
2 c milk
2 c Velveeta
1/2 t salt
dash of pepper

Prepare macaroni as direction, drain, and chill in cold water 5 min.  Brown beef and onion with oil in large skillet; drain.  Stir in Ragu, water, salt.  Simmer 5 min while stirring.  In small sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour; blend in milk.  Cook, stir until thick.  Remove from heat; add cheese, salt, pepper.  Stir until cheese melts.  Put meat in greased shallow 3 quart sauce pan.  Spoon macaroni over top; pour cheese over all.  Bake at 400 for 30 min.

This is another one that freezes well.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2 cans cream of chicken soup (sometimes I substitute a cream of celery or cream of chicken for 1 can)
8 oz sour cream
4 t poppy seeds, divided
4 cooked (boil slowly to keep juicy) chicken breasts (approx. 1 lb or 2 c), cut to 2" cubes
1/4 c melted butter
1 c Ritz crackers, crushed

Combine soup, sour cream, 2 t poppy seeds, chicken in a medium bowl. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish. Crush crackers; add melted butter, 2 t poppy seeds. Top chicken mixture with crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

I often make this and split it into 2 - 2 quart casserole dishes and freeze one.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 c sugar
1 c oil
1 t vanillla
2 c grated zucchini
3 c flour
1/4 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 c chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs; add sugar, oil, vanilla, zucchini. Sift flour, powder, salt, soda, cinnamon. Add to mixture. Stir in nuts. Grease and flour pans. Bake at 350. Cool on rack.

1 hr, 20 min for 5x9 loaf pan
55 min for 3 medium pans
45 min for 4 small pans

Never Fail Pie Crust

3 c flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/4 c shortening
1 egg
1 T vinegar
5 T water

Sift flour and salt. Cut in shortening. Beat egg slightly; add vinegar and water. Add to shortening and flour mixture with fork. Divide into 4 equal parts. Roll. Makes 2 large double crust pies.

I have a better time working with dough after it has been chilled.

Apple Dumplings

Dough:
2 c flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
2/3 c shortening
1/2 c milk

Sift flour, powder, salt. Add shortening and milk. Divide into 6 equal parts. Roll.

Filling:
6 apples
1/4 c sugar (approx, for each dumpling)
sprinkle of cinnamon (each)
pat of butter (each)

Add filling to dough. Close dumpling like a pie. Place in pan.

Syrup:
1 c water
1 c sugar
1 handful cinnamon candies

Heat to boil to melt candies. Pour syrup over dumplings. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

I often make 3 for a meal and freeze the other 3 for another meal.

Cathy and Kelli

Jar Mix Gifts

Gifts from the Kitchen

Mix Recipes for Cocoa, Tea, and Beverages, Cookies and Brownies, Desserts and Snacks, Muffins and Breads, Cereals, Soups, Herbs and Spice Blends, Sauces, Dips, Salad Dressings, Assorted Mixes and Gift Recipes